Gravure rotary printing machines are known for printing cylindrical surfaces. Such printing machines typically have a solid metal printing cylinder with an etched outer surface that receives ink and transfers an ink pattern, as determined by the etching, to a silicon coated transfer cylinder, which in turn applies the image to the outer surface of a rotatably supported cylindrical item or the like to be printed. For supplying ink to the gravure cylinder, ink is continuously pumped from an ink supply to a doctor assembly which applies ink to the etched surface of the gravure cylinder, while doctoring excessive ink for return to the ink supply and ultimate recirculation to the doctor assembly. By reason of the required recirculation of the ink during a printing operation, the ink continuously evaporates, causing the escape of noxious fumes into the environment potentially harmful to workers. Due to such evaporation, the viscosity of the ink in the ink supply must be monitored and solvent must be periodically added to the ink to maintain proper viscosity. The ink recirculation also can be messy, sometimes causing ink splattering within the work environment. Since the etched gravure cylinder is made of solid metal, it further is expensive and significantly adds to the cost of the printing machine.